Royal baby: world media reaction to Duchess of Cambridge's labour

TV reports from around the globe suggest interest in the imminent birth of a
new heir to the throne is as big news abroad as it is at home.

6:43PM BST 22 Jul 2013

From France all the way to Australia, international television stations appear to be offering their audiences in-depth coverage of the Duchess of Cambridge's condition as the birth of the new heir to the throne gets underway.

News anchors on ABC News entertained their viewers as they attempted to guess the time of birth, the baby's sex and name - with one presenter making the unlikely prediction that the child will be named Rutherford.

The Duchess was admitted to the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London, shortly after 5.30am, by which time she was already in the early stages of labour.

The couple made their way to the hospital without a police escort after arriving back at their home in Kensington Palace three days ago following a stay at the Duchess's family home in Bucklebury.